Two-year plan to cut troops in the North
The move by Northern Secretary Peter Hain followed the IRA’s announcement on Thursday that it is ending its armed campaign and completing its disarmament programme.
Under the security normalisation plans, army observation posts will be closed, police stations will be defortified and troops reduced to peacetime levels of around 5,000 soldiers if the security climate is right. There are currently around 10,500 soldiers serving in the North.
The British Government is also aiming to repeal within two years counter terrorist legislation particular to Northern Ireland if everything goes according to plan.
The plan will be introduced in three phases over the next 24 months. In the first phase lasting eight months:
The observation post in Divis Tower, in the heart of Sinn Féin leader Gerry’s Adams’s West Belfast constituency, will be removed over six months, with work starting this week.
Two observation towers will also be dismantled over six months at the Masonic site in Derry.
Two towers in south Armagh in Creevekeeran and Drummuckavall will also be removed.
A structured plan will be produced for the phased reduction of the British military presence in the North.
The review of the police estate will continue with Northern Ireland’s Policing Board and district commanders and local communities including moves to defortify 24 PSNI stations.
In the second phase lasting 12 months, there will be:
More police stations defortified and the development and extension of new policing practices with more single beat officers, bicycle patrols on the streets and the opening of police shops.
The vacation and demolition of the remaining army watchtowers in south Armagh, with all these sites with the exception of a Blue Light communications site in Croslieve returned to greenfield sites.
The progressive withdrawal of soldiers from sites where they are stationed along with police in Crossmaglen, Middletown and Newtownhamilton Co Armagh, as well as in counties Fermanagh and Tyrone.
The removal of the army base in Maydown Police Station in Derry.
A reduction in troop levels in line with the published plan and the return of private property on vacated sites.
In the third and final phase lasting four months, the British Government’s pledge includes:
Further implementation of the police estate review as determined by the Policing Board.
Provision of additional opportunities for police to patrol without the use of armoured vehicles.
Demolition of the observation post at Rosemount in Derry.
Repeal counter-terrorist legislation particular to Northern Ireland.
Mr Hain, who discussed demilitarisation with Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy at Hillsborough Castle yesterday along with PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde, stressed the plans would only be implemented in the right security climate.
The Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment are also to go. In a move which infuriated unionists, the army’s general officer commanding in the North, Lieut General Redmond Watt, said there would be no military requirement for the battalions.
